South Korea Reconsiders Raising Departure Fee to Restore Tourism Fund
Creatrip Team
4 months ago
Lawmakers, tourism officials and academics warned that cutting the departure fee (출국납부금) from 10,000 to 7,000 won drained the Tourism Promotion Development Fund, causing airport information center closures, reduced local festival support and cuts to tourism safety and accessibility programs. At a recent parliamentary policy meeting hosted by the Democratic Party, experts said the fee reduction removed about 130–140 billion won annually and could push the fund into a large deficit by 2030. Participants argued Korea has been an outlier in lowering its departure fee while other tourism nations raise similar charges, and recommended restoring or adjusting the fee (suggested ranges: 15,000–20,000 won), redesigning exemptions by age or seat class, linking the charge to airport usage fees, and increasing transparency on fund use to regain public trust. Officials aim to fast-track legislation and budget adjustments to secure sustainable funding for tourism promotion and competitiveness.
